Page 106 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

“Boy, you’ve gotta bark back at that yappy little thing,” Rhys told him.

Apparently, the dog next door was a little terrier. It was filled with an unreasonable rage that should’ve been directed at the small animals it would’ve been used to hunt in years gone by, but it was locked up in a yard all day, going slowly mad from the lack of stimulation.

“Pretty sure you could swallow that dog whole,” Garrett added, but that wasn’t how it worked.

“You’re OK.” I kept my voice soft, almost neutral. Being emotionally reactive would just have him doing the same. “It’s all going to be OK.”

Except it wasn’t. I watched his little body shiver, those big amber eyes pleading for me to do something with the endless faith of dogs. I’d gotten him out of the shelter, hadn’t I? Couldn’t I get him out of this?

“I need to text Marg?—”

I’d barely gotten my phone out when I was yanked back down onto the couch.

“You guys choose a movie. I’ll take Bronson out for a quick walk so he can piss in peace,” Garrett said. “Then we can try that pheromone diffuser thing and see if it helps.”

Rhys had dropped into the pet store and picked one up on the shop assistant’s recommendation.

“And then what?” I resisted Rhys’ pull, going up on one elbow. “What do we do if that doesn’t work?”

“We’ve got the appointment with the vet you suggested,” he told me. “He fit us in as soon as he could. We’ll find a way, promise. Now, one thing I read was if we’re calm, that helps B Dog be calm.”

I felt a pang of guilt as I nestled into his side, but Bronson perked up as soon as Garrett walked towards the front door. For all his terror moments before, he seemed bright and bouncy now.

“C’mon, boy,” Garrett said in the same squeaky voice they all used. The incongruity of it coming from such a big man had me smiling despite myself.

“So, movie?” Rhys bestowed the remote upon me like a queen during her coronation. “I never give up the remote willingly, but I needed to make a gesture to show you just how much I like you.”

“I will treasure this moment.” I held it to my chest, which had his eyes lighting up as his smile faded. “By refusing to put on any action movies.”

“Uh huh.”

“If it has the wordAvengersorJustice Leaguein the title, it will be rejected without even watching the trailer.”

“Right.”

Rhys remained completely transfixed by my hand and where it was placed.

“I want funny, soppy, with big declarations of love. Maybe even a costume drama.”

I waited for my words to sink in, and finally he looked up at me with a smirk.

“Pretty people falling in love on the TV screen.” He snuggled closer. “Suddenly, that seems a whole lot more appealing than car chases and explosions.”

“10 Things I Hate About You?”I asked as I scrolled through the options.

“Whatever you want, babe.”

Chapter53

Rhys

This was perfect.

My day was done, so no wall-to-wall testosterone, no Drew trying to shove paperwork in my face about setting up a franchise. No dramas, no stress, just me, my dog, my best friend, and our girl.

Bronson came back a lot calmer after the run and was now lying on the floor, snoring quietly, and while it was getting late, I wasn’t feeling tired, not when I was feeling Katie. Heath Ledger was doing something on the screen to try to win the heart of the girl with the pinched face, and I felt for him, I really did. Some blokes got caught up in the chase, losing interest the moment they got the girl, but me… I just wanted to be right where I was.

Katie was lying on the couch between Garrett and me, watching the screen with rapt attention while I couldn’t stop watching her. The way the colours from the TV screen flickered across her face in the gloom, the way her eyes lit up at some bit of dialogue, then those pretty lips started to curve into a smile. Garrett was the same.

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